Admissions

Listing Row

Application Deadlines & Requirements
Admissions to the PhD program in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UM is granted to students who have a superior record of achievement in their previous studies and show a strong potential to succeed at an advanced level of study. Successful applicants typically hold a BS degree in pharmacy, chemistry, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, cellular and molecular biology, biological chemistry, or another comparable field of study. Those admitted to the PhD program normally have a strong GPA and excellent letters of recommendation. For non-domestic students, we strongly prefer applicants with MS degree although exceptional candidates with bachelor’s degree are considered for the PhD program.

Application Deadline
January 5: All documents, including letters of recommendation, have to be received by this date.

Entrance Requirements
​Please note that all of application materials must be submitted through the online application. Please do not send any certificates, copies of passports, GRE tests, papers you have written/published, or copies/duplicates of application materials to the PharmSci department office. All of the documents described below must be submitted online.

A concise (2-3 pages) statement about your academic background, prior research experience, abstracts, manuscripts, presentations given in scientific conferences, research interests, and the name(s) of faculty with whom you are interested in working.

Personal statement

A concise (500-word limit) essay that describes how your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a PhD in our program. Please do not simply restate your Academic Statement of Purpose.

3 letters of recommendation

These should be written by recommenders best qualified to speak to your academic progress, research skills, and potential for graduate study. Recommenders should submit their letters using the online application site.

Transcripts

All copies of undergraduate or any graduate program transcripts must be provided. Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded electronically with your online application. In addition, official copies must be submitted directly as part of the application process to the Rackham Graduate School.

International applicants are exempt from submitting an official English proficiency score if:

The degree was earned from an institution where the language of instruction is exclusively English. This exception does not apply if some classes completed were taught in a language other than English. Verification from the school may be required.

The degree was earned from a country where the official language is English (e.g., United States of America, Australia, England).

§ Rackham will not process an application without the application fee, nor can the College review applications prior to the payment of this fee. Some fee waivers are available from the Rackham Graduate School; for more information click here.$75 U.S. citizens and permanent residents

Admissions Decision TimelineLate January to February: Interview process (campus visits will be arranged for candidates residing in the U.S., while online interviews will be arranged for candidates residing abroad).​Mid-February to Mid-April: All applicants are notified via e-mail as soon as an admission decision is reached, with the final notifications sent by mid-April.

Financial Support
​​The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences has a long history of funding most, if not all, of its PhD students for the duration of their studies, but such support is not guaranteed. Financial aid comes in the form of departmental fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or some combination of these. In addition to Department financial aid, applicants are also considered for various Rackham fellowships, and are encouraged to apply for nationally competitive fellowships available from NSF, DoD, and other sources. All support is contingent upon satisfactory progress toward the Ph.D. degree, and the availability of funds.